In the aerospace world, as in all sectors of manufacturing, the race is on for faster, more automated and connected machining operations. Aerospace builders have steadily pushed for more automotive-like automation over the past several years in order to improve productivity and more effectively handle large order backlogs in commercial aviation.
From Boeing 787s to new Navy destroyers, fiber-reinforced composites are gaining in use. As production scales up, more-efficient manufacturing remains a focus. One key to that efficiency is tooling for composites. These molds and forms give the final shape to a part, and are often integral to their final curing.
New work materials are developed continually to improve the capabilities of finished parts, making them lighter and stronger, among other properties. When these materials catch on, cutting tools must adapt to their often challenging properties.
It is common sense—a vehicle that weighs less requires less fuel to move it. A number of studies show that reducing the mass of a vehicle by 10% results in anywhere from 4.5 to 6% better fuel economy—well worth the effort.
3D Systems announced an expansion of its plastics materials portfolio.
As aerospace ramps up its use of advanced composites, robots and automated manufacturing systems will assume ever larger roles in building and machining these challenging materials.
There’s much more to leveraging production data than its capture and analysis; there’s also
integration with the company’s other software systems and the strategic perspective that results.
Solutions for ceramic machining—and machining ceramics.
Manufacturers and fabricators need to consider the application and performance requirements of materials.
Piecing together FHE commercialization in the U.S.
